Hydroprocessing of sulfurous kerosene to improve jet fuel characteristics thereof

Abstract

A process for hydrotreating (hydroprocessing) hydrocarbons and mixtures of hydrocarbons utilizing a catalytic composite of a porous carrier material, a platinum or palladium component, a rhodium component and a tin component, in which process there is effected a chemical consumption of hydrogen. A specific example of one such catalyst is a composite of a crystalline aluminosilicate, a platinum component, a rhodium component and a tin component, for utilization in a hydrocracking process. Other hydrocarbon hydroprocesses are directed toward the hydrogenation of aromatic nuclei, the ring-opening of cyclic hydrocarbons, desulfurization, denitrification, hydrogenation, etc.

I claim as my invention: 
     
       1. A process for improving the jet fuel characteristics of a sulfurous kerosene boiling range fraction, which comprises reacting said kerosene fraction and hydrogen, at a maximum catalyst temperature below about 750° F., in a catalytic reaction zone containing a catalytic composite of an alumina-containing inorganic porous carrier selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica-alumina, chromia-alumina, aluminaboria, alumina-silica-boron phosphate and crystalline aluminosilicate, from about 0.1% to 1.5% by weight of a halogen component, on an elemental basis, a platinum or palladium component, a rhodium component and a tin component, and separating the resulting reaction zone effluent to recover a normally liquid kerosene fraction having improved jet fuel characteristics. 
     
     
       2. The process of claim 1 further characterized in that said catalytic composite contains from 0.01% to about 2% by weight of said platinum or palladium component, from 0.01% to about 2% by weight of said rhodium component and from 0.01% to about 5% by weight of said tin component, on an elemental basis. 
     
     
       3. The process of claim 1 further characterized in that said a halogen component comprises chlorine. 
     
     
       4. The process of claim 1 further characterized in that said carrier is a crystalline aluminosilicate. 
     
     
       5. The process of claim 1 further characterized in that said carrier is an amorphous alumina-silica composite. 
     
     
       6. The process of claim 1 further characterized in that said conditions include a pressure of from 400 to about 5000 psig., a liquid hourly space velocity of from about 0.1 to about 10, a hydrogen circulation rate of from 1,000 to about 50,000 scf./Bbl. and a maximum catalyst temperature of from about 200° to about 900° F. 
     
     
       7. The process of claim 1 further characterized in that said catalytic composite is reduced and sulfided prior to contacting said hydrocarbon.